Molineux Hotel

A landmark 18th century hotel in Wolverhampton which had stood derelict for almost 25 years, has been saved from demolition by the council in partnership with regional development agency Advantage West Midlands and English Heritage.

The grade II* listed Georgian hotel occupies a prominent site in the city centre overlooking the main ring road, next to Wolverhampton Wanderers football ground.

Originally known as Molineux House, the imposing building belonged to the influential ironmaking Molineux family between 1754 and 1860 before being transformed into a hotel and pleasure park.

During the 19th and 20th centuries a large part of the grounds became the Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club stadium and the building continued to operate as a hotel and public house before being closed in 1979 and falling into serious disrepair while in private ownership.

The reopening of the historic landmark building took a step closer to becoming reality on 16th January 2009 as contractors Linford Group handed it back to the city council following completion of a £7.5 million restoration.

West Midlands-based contractors Linford have now completed the job which has seen many of Molineux Hotel’s historic features repaired or replaced and a brand new extension built.

The building will now become home to the city’s archives service which is moving from its former base in Snow Hill. All the public functions – including the reception, reading and research rooms – will be located within the historic building, while the newly built extension will provide a state-of-the-art storage area to protect the irreplaceable documents.

The mammoth job of moving the archives to their new home is already underway and the service hopes to open to the public in the spring.

Last year the Molineux Hotel project was acknowledged by English Heritage, the government’s adviser on the historic environment, as one of the 20 best conservation-led regeneration projects in the country.

Fitzgerald Contractors have repaved and widened the neighbouring Molineux Alley as part of the programme of environmental improvement works in the city centre.

On Tuesday March 10 2009, Molineux Hotel reopened to members of the public as the new home to the city's priceless archives.

Contact us

For more information about the Molineux Hotel restoration project, contact us at the points below:

e-mail: project.implementation@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Phone 01902 555620

Write to:

Project Implementation
Regeneration and Transportation
Wolverhampton City Council
Civic Centre, St. Peter's Square
Wolverhampton
WV1 1RL